Law of Armed Conflict
by MI6HTY QUINN 12
Summary: ODST. The very best the UNSC can offer. His body carries him, but his mind struggles. A look at the horrors of the Human-Covenant War.


I was motionless. Cold, warm at the same time, across my chest. I opened my eyes; _yeah I'm on my back_. I couldn't move, fear? Injury? Oh no. Injured in a place like this, it's worse than death.

The sky I looked at through my visor was night. My visor, I have my helmet on, that's good at least. The heads up display isn't on, I don't like to rely on technology but without it I'm running blind. Well, lying blind.

I coughed, a little blood splattered onto my visor. My heart sank. _Am I dying? On a world I've never been before, fighting creatures I've never heard speak_. At least now there was pain. It let me know my body hadn't given up.

Breathing was becoming more painful as I thought of my possible injuries. I looked past the blood on my visor, there was quite a large crack running across it. But even beyond that I looked, I looked for something to take my mind away from the ever-growing pain. The sky. It was alight. Stars shining bright down on me, and the flashes. Orange and red flashes. A blue one. More red and orange though.

So, the fight is still on. All be it far above my head. Come on I thought. I went to move my arms, they moved with ease and it was nice to know they were both still there. I felt my legs, they were there, they were cold and muddy. I felt my chest. Searing pain shot through me, the epicentre my chest. My chest armour was split in two, blood gushing out.

_Calm. Calm saves lives, panic kills_. Suddenly I had my drill sergeant in my ear telling me what to do. I reached for my can of bio foam, right leg pouch. I applied it directly to where the blood was coming from, it stung, a lot.

I remembered whilst I was spraying the foam what happened. Brute, chieftain swung for. For Charlie. My mind left how I was injured and took me to Charlie, my squad mate, now possibly dead squad mate, likely dead. Yes, the brute got him with a fist, and then I... Then I stabbed him, right in the neck. Bastard. It turned threw me, and yes, slashed me with its blade. Ow, the thought made my wound hurt more.

I tried to sit up, no way. I need to pull myself up I can't strain my chest. I turned my head to see what was around me, I turned right first. I was confronted with a corpse about 6 inches from me. A marine, riddled with spiker rounds. The pain in his face as he died still showing. Above him another body, a grunt its blood seeping into the ground. I turn left, the imposing carcass of a brute chieftain was lying there. I was lucky it didn't land on me. I looked over its body, it's helmet was off and there in its neck lodged down to the grip, my knife.

I reached for it and pulled it out. I wiped the blood on my Kevlar. The brute was near enough to grab and use as a grip to haul myself up. I sheathed my knife and looked for the best handles and the dead beast. The chest piece at the neck, and the arm. I reached for the first grip with minimal pain. I then pulled myself closer to the brute pumping my legs. Using the brute as support I managed to sit up, leaning against it.

I looked across the battlefield, hundreds lay dead. Alien and human. The only light came from fires and the two moons. Yellow fire from human vehicles and distinctive blue fire from destroyed alien craft. I looked around and saw no life. I felt alone. I looked up again to the sky and the battle that raged on in space. It was still a potent fight, I could still get out of this.

I turned my head to get my bearings of the battle field and jog my memory of when I last saw it conscious. It was day when I dropped in my pod, mid afternoon if I recall. With my helmet now broken I couldn't see the mission timer. I assumed it was that night. I looked for our objective, there it was a covenant spire. When I last saw it was operational and a pain in the fleets arse, now it was crumbled. Half standing, half on the floor burning. Good at least my job was done, even if I didn't do it.

I needed communication, with anyone. I leaned forward with great pain onto all fours. I crawled like a dog over the dead. I made sure not to directly lean on a fallen human, the alien bastards didn't get the same respect. I stopped and looked down. Another ODST, who was it? From my squad? Yes he was from my squad, the light was poor but I could feel the word Cronus engraved on his chest. We all did it for, well for this. I took off the mans helmet it was working still but he was covered in plasma burns on his shoulder and up his neck. It was Iosef. I checked his pulse, it wasn't there. I reached under his armour and pulled out his dog tags.

I had to shut out the grief. But as I tried I remembered Charlie, he was gone. And Michael, gone too. I was the last of Cronus squad. _Calm doesn't panic_ I thought through tears that were building in my eyes. _Calm stops and thinks. Calm saves lives_. But not there's. not Iosef, Michael or Charlie. Suddenly I just wanted to lie down. Rest, sleep.

My drill sergeant from boot entered my head again. He shouted, screamed, willed me to go on. My arms were weak, my wound sore, my head heavy but my body was ODST and we don't quit. I took off my helmet and replaced it with Iosef's. His HUD was still functioning, mission timer read 10 hours. I guessed that I had been out for 7 hours.

His weapon was shown as an M7S, I looked down and in Iosef's clutches was the silenced sub machine gun. I took it, checked my ammo pouches for the appropriate 5x23mm rounds. I had two magazines. I didn't want to disturb Iosef's body more than I had, but I needed to. I checked his ammo pouches and found 3 more magazines. Looks like he went down early in the fight. I couldn't help the morbid thought. I refilled my own ammo pouches. I touched Iosef's chest where Cronus was engraved and felt a sudden urge to move and live on. With all, my might I took to my knees, then a foot, then the other. I pushed through my pain and stood.

Standing I turned and looked at the field of death that I was either the lone survivor of, or was left in. I checked the mission objectives thought the helmet. "Assist in repelling enemy ground forces" check, which was how far I had got. "Destroy covenant spire any means necessary" check, well it's odd to think that these objectives update and check themselves as your squad do them, even after you've been knocked out or killed. "Proceed to rally point bravo" check but there was an icon that meant that the objective had been revised, I opened it. "Proceed to rally point alpha" was the original objective. So I knew not to go there. So someone in my squad had gotten to bravo, it was checked.

I opened up squad vitals.

"Iosef- no vitals

Michael- offline

Charles- offline

Artorious- offline"

I had hope, Michael and Charlie both reached the final objective and switched off their helmets! They're alive! But there I was, at the bottom. Offline and most certainly not safe, barely alive. At least one of them was alive, I didn't know which and it hurt, not knowing.

I went to comms. The Chanel to rally point bravo was open, the radio there was working. I went on the line.

"Mayday, Mayday rally point Bravo do you come in, over."

Static, I tried again.

"Rally point Bravo this is corporal Nero of Cronus squad, 7th battalion, do you come in, over."

The static was not boding well for my friends or me. I looked around over the tree line was an orange glow. I picked up on the radiation spike that had been there for quite some time. They were already glassing the planet; my window to escape was getting smaller.

I made the obvious decision to go in the opposite direction to the hellish fire that destroyed the surface of the planet. This wasn't my first glassing, you never get used to it. I turned and thought I saw something go low across the sky. It was big, I saw another, and another all in the same direction. They were just silhouettes against the orange glow of fire in the sky. They had no lights, trying to keep a low profile? I thought, not the covenant then they are too arrogant for that.

Pelicans, it was all I could think. They were too low to be leaving the planet, too cautious in their flight style to be running away. They had to be going somewhere, I had to believe they were. I set off in the direction they were going. Each step brought pain as I half walked half ran. I would walk a few paces, skip a couple, jog some more. I kept this rhythm, it helped me focus. I had gone beyond the edge of the battlefield now and I was walking up a hill. According to the mission timer I had been walking for an hour, I was quite far up the hill and the peak seemed near. Dawn was still a good 3 hours away.

I reached the top of the hill and a sight met my eyes that I can not remove from my memory, no matter how hard I try. I looked out across the landscape of the planet I stood on, Skopje, and watched it burn. Down the hill in front of me was the city New Veles. It burned, it all burned. Cars in the streets abandoned, trains de railed. Skyscrapers, crumbled.

I looked for a while until I could no more. Then again I caught a glimpse of my goal. A pelican for sure this time. It hovered then lowered in a place away from the city. The castle. Something a wealthy CEO of a large firm had built because he had nothing else to spend his money on. I thanked him though, I would like to say it housed a forward operating base, it looked more like the headquarters of some resistance fighters.

I knew where to go now, my hope grew. I ran down the hill and rolled the last part as I slipped I had to muffle my cries of pain. I jogged up to a wall and walked along it, I was going to have to pass about 2 miles of occupied city. I turned the safety off on my M7s. I came to the end of the wall and peeked round the corner. Nothing there, good. I ran through the pain to my next piece of cover.

I proceeded like this through the broken city for 20 minutes until I heard gun fire. Human and covenant. I opened a door into an office block and went up 3 stories to see the gun fight that was on the other side of the building. I reached the floor panting as I left the stairwell, the biofoam was holding me together, for now.

I walked to the window and crouched. The fight was between 6 marines, 3 in a warthog and 3 on foot. The faced what seemed like a standard lance, 4 grunts, 2 Jackal and 2 Brute minors. The 50 cal made light work of the grunts and removed the brutes shielding. The other marines picked off the brutes with well places shots to the head. The Jackal ran away at the death of their leaders the marines shot them down. With the fire fight over I went to beckon their attention. I began to open the window.

"Don't move. Or, or I'll shoot"

So blatantly a civilian voice. I stood and turned slowly hands in the air.

"Easy, man. I'm human"

This guy looked terrified. He was wearing a torn shirt and suit trousers, his tie long gone. I looked beyond him, two women they looked like shit. Smart office wear was on their backs, barely. One of them was injured. Spike to the shoulder, she was being held up by the other.

"Why are you still here?" I asked whilst this guy still pointed a pistol in my face.

"We left here when they attacked and-" the woman behind him began.

"Shut up Margaret, he could be a spy" the man spat back at her.

"Listen, I don't know what you think is happening, but there certainly isn't any human spies on their side."

"Well we were left. By marines" he said it as if I should be mad.

"Did you go to your evac point?" I asked my hands still up.

"We tried but, Sally got hit." As this guy spoke I started to dislike him. Sally got hit, who does he think he is? I stepped forward; I needed to see her wound.

"Hey! Don't you move"

I tilted my head, and looked at his weapon.

"You've got the safety on, guess the corpse you robbed it from never had the chance to fire back." With that I pushed past him, I need to hold back these morbid thoughts; I think I need a psychiatrist. One thing at a time.

"Let me see your shoulder." I said to Sally, her face in constant discomfort.

"How long ago?"

"It was yesterday morning" she replied through gritted teeth as I inspected the wound.

"You've been up here that long?" I turned to the guy who was now closely looking at the pistol, probably for the safety.

"Well we didn't think it was a good idea to go wondering the streets. The water has only just gone off."

_Great_ I thought, I couldn't refill my bottle.

"Ok. Well, Sally, I need to clean this."

I could tell she didn't like the sound of that.

"There might be a first aid kit on another floor, we haven't gone up there." The guy was trying to be useful, I can appreciate that. I stood in thought for a moment, go looking for this kit that could help me as well but keep us away from the castle? Or, slug it out and go straight to the castle, carry her if need be? No, it was the obvious choice.

"What's your name?" I asked

"Garry" he said

"I'm Artur" I said warmly.

"Garry give, Margaret was it? Yeah. Give her the pistol." Before he could protest I continued.

"Margaret, take Sally to the back of the room over there. Move a table for cover and get behind it. Don't come out until I call out." She nodded and her and Sally carried out my order.

"Come on" I said to Garry.

"What am I going to do if those things find us?" Garry said in a panic. I understood his fear but didn't acknowledge it.

"Call out targets." I spoke coldly as I raised my M7s as we left the room into the stairwell.

"Are you serious? Jesus I'm going to die here."

I stopped before we went through the door into the stairwell. I turned to Garry and grabbed him by the shirt. I quickly looked over in the direction of the girls to see that they couldn't see me.

"Listen, Garry." I spoke in a hushed but clearly angry tone, coming from my helmet with black visor, it would have been ate intimidating. That was the point.

"You've survived this long on your own. I'm here so your chances just doubled." I didn't know if they did, I hoped they did.

"Now you need to do exactly what I say. And right now I'm saying shut up and follow me." He only nodded, the fear was still in his face but he was more composed now. I released him and went into the stairwell.

The next floor was the same as the last. Paper everywhere and tables overturned. A corpse here and there. At the back of the room was a worktop with a sink. It had a kettle and some tins of coffee and tea. Broken mugs were at my feet as I explored the coffee station. There were cupboards above the sink I opened them, nothing inside but smashed glass.

"Over here" Garry called out a little loud but I'd let him off. I walked over to where he was standing. By his feet a raided first aid box. I patted him on the back and crouched by it to look inside.

Biofoam was gone. Couple of rolls of bandage more for a sprained wrist but I could find a use for it. I stowed it in my left leg pouch. Tape, yeah ok I'll take this. I looked in it like a monkey inspecting a new toy. I scoured every inch of it. Hello. What do you know?

"A morphine shot." I held it up so Garry could see the prize loot we had just found.

"I think Sally could use that" he said in full view of my biofoam filled wound. I agreed with him.

We went up to the next floor, as we opened the door we saw that an entire wall was missing and the wind swept paper around the room. Exposed electrical cables sparked and a fire burned in the corner. We walked over to where we found the first aid box on the last floor. As each floor was the same looking wasn't that hard. We found it, sealed, tag still on, never been open. Garry was ecstatic I joined him but told him to be quiet.

We made our way down stairs half way down the stairs to where the girls were, I stopped and put my hand over Garry's mouth to keep him quiet. I leaned into the room that had the girls at the bottom of it.

3 Jackal were exploring the room scavenging slowly making there way closer to Margaret and Sally. I turned to Garry who was tightly clutching the first aid box. I took my helmet off so I could whisper to him. This was the first time he saw my face.

"I need you to wait here. I'm going to go to the floor below, see if there's anymore. I'll come straight back if there is." He nodded, pure fear filled his eyes.

I slipped past the door and down the next flight of stairs. I peered into the floor below. It was clear; more could be in the street. As promised I went back to Garry. He was stood exactly as I left him, frozen.

I peered into the room the Jackal dangerously close to the girls. I handed Garry my M7s, this was not a job for it. I drew my knife. Into the room I crept they all had their backs to me. Two were stood quite near each other, I moved to them first.

They kept searching; opening table draws for anything that took their fancy. I was now a couple of feet behind one. I reached out and grabbed its beaked head and twisted it limp. Knife still drawn I slit the throat of the startled Jackal next to me.

I turned to the other one across the room; it had only just turned round. It's weapon or shield not ever deployed. I threw my knife and it lodged itself in the alien's skull and it slumped to the floor. I had to take a knee. The attack had strained my wound, the pain hit me hard.

Garry came running over my gun in one hand first aid kit in the other. He slid on his knees to me. I composed myself and sat up. Margaret came out from her cover.

"Are you ok?" She asked worried

"Yes, better we have this" I pointed to the first aid box signalled for it to be opened. Garry did so and I took my M7s and attached it to my magnetic plate. I pulled it closer to me I took out a morphine shot, iodide, biofoam and field dressing. I stood and walked to Sally who was sat down.

"Ok Sally lets do this." As I spoke I eyed the spike protruding from her shoulder, she eyed what I brought over with me. I organised my tools on the floor before applying the morphine to her shoulder so it hit there first.

"Wasn't so bad?" I said smiling behind my visor.

"No" she said slowly.

"Take your helmet off, I want to see the face of the guy saving my life."

It was an odd request, but time was of the essence and I didn't want to enter a conversation about it, and i needed to keep her spirits up in this unforgiving situation. I took it off and smiled at her. Her blonde hair had dirt and blood in it, but she still looked good. She smiled back. Then... I ruined the moment. In an instant I put my hand over her mouth and pulled the spike out of her shoulder.

She screamed mouth shut into my hand. I moved closer and muffled her with my body. Tears streamed over my black armour. When she seemed to calm I moved away letting air get to her face. It was bright red as she had worked up in pain. The morphine kicked in and she quieted down.

I applied the iodine, front and back. Next I took the biofoam. Garry and Margaret watched intently, I told them to watch the door. I sprayed half the can into her shoulder enough to seal it. Then I dressed it, tightly. I didn't want it coming off when we were running for our lives. I put extra tape on just to be sure.

She sat there a little dopey; she would have to pick up soon. I tended to my own wound. I saw Garry watching me as I did this, probably in amazement at my pain threshold. I liked that idea; I wouldn't let him know I was in agony barely keeping my hands steady. The biofoam I put in there out in the field had absorbed mostly to my body. The bleeding had stopped which was good. I removed my chest piece and knelt there with my shoulder pads still on making me look a little odd. I gave myself the shot of morphine. Dabbed iodine over what flesh was still raw, that stung a lot. My ODST t-shirt had ripped with the wound. If I got out of this I might frame it.

Next I applied what was left of the biofoam into my chest. That stung too, less with the morphine. I dressed my wound and asked Margaret to pull it tight around my back. I taped it in place and went to reach my chest piece. God I was weak. It took a lot of effort to pick it up.

Garry noticed and helped me put it on. I nodded to him in thanks. He just wanted to help. Now I was going to be held together a little longer I went to pick up helmet. Sally grabbed it and handed it to me, smiling. I don't know if it was the morphine but she looked deep into my eyes as I took the helmet from her hands, brushing my hand against hers as I did so.

I stood and put it on. Damn I thought looking at the clock. I had planned to be there by now. No, I'll get these guys out of here. Now fully clad in my armour I un-holstered my M7s and helped Margaret lift Sally to her feet. We had to move, only an hour of night remained and there was no knowing when the marines at the castle where pulling out.

I walked over to the window overlooking the street I had originally come from. It was clear. I nodded to the others to follow me. When we got to the street I signalled them to be silent with a 'shh' gesture.

We walked for a couple of streets until we came to the final stretch to the castle. A pelican was landing. Fantastic they were still there. Then out from a side street came the bad news. A covenant siege force marched on the castle. Wraiths, Brutes and Grunts. We weren't getting past.

I went on the short wave radio as our party rested in an ally. Sally was weak and Margaret and Garry were taking it in turns to hold her up or carry the pistol.

"Marine unit at coordinates 05-34-67, come in, this is corporal Nero of Cronus squad, 7th battalion ODST, come in, over."

"I read you corporal, this is marine squad Charlie, what is your number and location, over."

Charlie, my mind was dragged back. He could still be alive, don't worry. Task at hand. Task at hand.

"Rodger Charlie squad. We number 1 and 3 civvies. We are situated directly behind covenant siege force, over."

"Say again, corporal, behind siege force? Over."

"Affirmative, Do you have any other way in except the main gate? Over"

"Negative, corporal, but if you could help us out with this problem we'd appreciate it, over"

How was I supposed to do that?

"Copy, marine, I'll see what I can do just don't go without us, over."

"Rodger that, over"

Ok, a single-handed assault to be carried out by a wounded trouper whilst keeping three civvies safe. Huh no plan came to mind immediately. I looked in my backpack, some plastic explosive meant for the spire, C12 it could take out half that force if they keep in close proximity. Green smoke grenade. How remained the big question. I turned to Garry, Margaret and Sally. The sat there, scared behind a bin. Wondering probably if their family was safe, if they'd ever see them again.

"Charlie squad come in, over."

"We read you, corporal, go ahead."

"I'm going to destroy that heavy support, draw them away. You open your gate, get my civvies in and on board a pelican, you take off and retrieve me from green smoke, over."

"Ahh, corporal, we have orders to hold this position until further notice, over"

I stepped away from the others they couldn't hear this.

"This world is dead, marine. Everyone is dead. Everyone. Now you want to save a little bit of it don't you? And you and your men?" "Over"

There was a pause.

"Copy, trooper. On your mark over."

I turned to the others. And knelt down with them and relayed the plan. I took the pistol, checked the mag, safety off handed it to Garry and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. I stood to go.

"Hey trooper"

It was Sally

"Be safe." She had a worry in her tone of voice and eyes.

I nodded and turned into the street. The covenant force made mostly of brutes stood advancing on the castle, firing at the door. I ran quietly taking cover behind burnt out cars as I advanced towards them.

They stopped and positioned the wraiths in assault locations. Behind a burnt car I crouched meters away from the first wraith. I snook up to it and applied the C12 to its exposed rear. I planted a remote detonator receiver in the plastic explosive. I hid behind a wall missing the gaze of a brute minor. I made it to the next wraith and did the same.

I sprinted away down and ally and looped round so I was now to the left and on a street parallel to the castle wall. I detonated the explosive. The tanks went up in blue explosions sending grunts and brutes high into the air. I broke from cover and popped rounds into grunts heads and brutes who's armour was down from the blast. I shot and fired until I spent two magazines.

The siege force was now seriously depleted all that remained were scared grunts and a brute chieftain who set his eyes on me.

"Come on! Kill me! I'm right here!" My battle rage perhaps took over here as I screamed at the 8 and a half-foot monster wielding a massive hammer.

It screamed back a battle cry in honour of its fallen pack. And sprinted at me. Shit I thought. It ran at me hammer up. I turned and ran down the street. As I turned to go down an ally I slipped and the beast gained a few meters in me. I recovered and resumed my sprint for dear life.

Out of the ally I came into a street. Across the street was an open door into what looked like an apartment block. I headed straight for it. I could hear the brute breathing behind me. As I got into the building the stairs were dead ahead. I sprinted up them, slamming into the walls as I turned the sharp corners. I only hoped it would slow the brute down as well.

As I ran up the stairs I ran strait past Jackal and grunts exploring the building. I ignored them as I heard the brute behind me taunting me with how he was going to dismember me. Roof access. Here I'd kill the bastard. As soon as I got onto the roof I closed the door behind me the brute a flight of stairs or two behind me.

I popped the smoke the pelican hadn't taken off yet, I could see into the courtyard of the castle. Garry and Margaret were there. I froze when Sally wasn't. I was brought back when a smash sent the door flying across the roof. Through the doorway stepped the chieftain. I unloaded into him as he charged.

He leapt forward bringing his hammer down. I dived out of the way. I quickly stood and shot some rounds into his abdomen; it kicked me across the roof I slid across the gravel. I lay there in pain. Looking at the sky. It was dawn, the stars couldn't be seen anymore but the explosions in space were still there.

I looked in the direction of the brute. He stood tall coughed up blood and spat it in my direction. He threw down his hammer and removed his helmet. A fistfight? Why not? I stood my chest hurt. The tight dressing keeping me together hurt badly.

The brute screamed his war cry at me. I stood in silence, the backdrop of a burning city on a burning world seemed fitting, as I was about to likely meet my end. He stood there and I stood still. As I adjusted my position he charged. I stepped forward drawing my knife. As I ran into certain doom the pelican left the castle and turned towards me.

The brute went into a tackle. I Side stepped him grabbing his head at the jaw. He bit into my armoured glove the pain seared through my hand. Now I was on his back and he lashed around. I took my knife and plunged it into the base of the beast's skull. His jaw released my hand as it screamed in pain and collapsed to the floor.

I fell the ground and rolled off the dead brute. I could hear grunts and Jackal coming up the stairs I ran to my M7s, gripping it was hard with what seemed like a broken hand. I jumped behind the brute carcass and used it as cover and support for the sub machine gun.

They came up single file at first; I brought them down with concentrated controlled bursts to the head. Then they came in greater numbers pining me, none wanting to venture towards me. Just then the pelican rose and unleashed hell from its cannon. The grunts stopped coming up after 30 seconds of death.

I stood and removed my knife from the Brutes head and sheathed it. I turned to the pelican, it span round and its back doors opened for me. Sat at the back were Garry and Margaret. And Sally. Of course, she was already on board. I was grateful thankful sad and tired. A marine took me to the very back and lay me on a stretcher.

He and two other marines removed my armour and aided to my many fresh wounds. My head was at Sally's feet. I smiled up at her, she smiled back. The obvious lurch in the pelican as we left the atmosphere was familiar to me, but Garry, Margaret and Sally held on for dear life. Like they had been doing the past two days.

"Trooper that was some crazy shit, we saw the fist fight with that chieftain. You mad bastard!" One marine called to me. I was in too much pain to reply.

"This big chest wound, how'd you get it?" The marine aiding me enquired.

"A gravity hammer blade." I said weakly

"And you're still standing? Jesus man." the other marines on the boat shared his awe. I didn't care. I was more worried about getting shot down before we reached our get away. But if it took their minds away from that, I was happy.

"You are very lucky, inch to the left and it would have landed in your lung, deeply."

That's a nice thought.

"I can't see the extent of the trauma completely, but its treatable. In a medbay."

"Wake me when we get there" and I drifted to, in my opinion, a well-earned sleep. The time for finding my missing squad mates would come, I think even they would grant me this.


End file.
